Does anyone here have a good basic template for WordPress installation and design and maintenance? If so, I'd appreciate if you're willing to share. Thanks.

What do you mean a template for installation? Or do you mean like an instruction manual? Perhaps if you could explain a bit more. Many webhosting services has installation of Wordpress inbuilt through Fantastico which is in the cpanel (control panel). But there are instructions for manually installing Wordpress at wordpress.org website. Re design - do you mean creating a design from scratch or do you mean editing an existing Wordpress theme?

Wordpress has just upgraded to the next version and they've made it much easier for people to edit the default and other themes by changing header images, background colours and so on.

Eleanor,

If you are looking for a contract template for web design: I recommend finding a basic VA contract and adding in your policies on web design. That's exactly what I did and then I customize it for each new client.

Some things I have in mine:
-A bullet list of what is covered for each specific site (# of pages, forms, graphics, etc)
-Total contract prices with specifics regarding payment schedule
-I include 1 month of free maintenance once I've received full payment- after that we sign a new contract for ongoing monthly maintenance. I like to keep these separate because too many times I'd get to the end of a project and the client would not have the money to pay monthly so they would essentially be breaking the contract. Just easier to mention it at the beginning and then bring it up again at the end.

My contract is so customized at this point, it wouldn't do you any good to use it.

~C

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Thanks, Christina. I ended up doing much of the same. Except, rather than list bullet points I referrence an attached Scope of Work that was basically the compmonents of the original proposal. I wish I had thought of a separate maintenance agreement rather than include it in the current Agreement for Services. I'll definitely do it next time.
- Eleanor

So, that's what you meant? Sorry, I misunderstood your question.